Malaysia’s ambassador to South Korea, Zamruni Khalid, said Anwar’s participation in the Apec summit reflected a continuation of Malaysia’s regional leadership, coming just days after he chaired the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 26-28.

“With the successful Asean Summit behind us, the prime minister will continue that momentum into Apec,” he told a press conference ahead of Anwar’s arrival.

“We hope to see stronger intra-Apec trade and the successful adoption of the Gyeongju Declaration.”

Apec, which groups 21 economies accounting for nearly half of global trade, serves as a key platform for Malaysia to advance open markets and regional supply chain resilience.

Last year, Apec economies made up 78% of Malaysia’s total trade, valued at RM2.06 trillion.

The forum, themed “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow”, is expected to conclude with the Gyeongju Declaration made up of three supporting frameworks covering artificial intelligence, demographic challenges and cooperation in creative industries.

Zamruni said Malaysia’s focus at Apec would align with the same priorities as summit host South Korea.

In Gyeongju, Anwar is scheduled to attend two key Apec sessions, meet with major regional industry players, and engage the US Apec Business Coalition before returning to Kuala Lumpur on Nov 1.

South Korea was Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner in 2024, with trade valued at US$24 billion (RM109 billion).

Malaysia’s key exports to Korea include electrical and electronic products, liquefied natural gas, and optical/scientific instruments. Imports from South Korea consist mainly of E&E goods, petroleum products and chemicals.